03 Tactics Flashcards
What is the purpose of the IS Strategy Implementation? Mention the 4 main cascade steps:
The general purpose is translating IS Strategy into Investments and Projects:
- IS Strategy : as a master plan
-
Information Architecture (targeted): as the blueprint, how?
- Information Architectures serve as conceptual frameworks for building an aspired IIS
- The target architecture is a blueprint of a future IIS that meets IS strategy
- Comparing the as-is architecture to the target exhibits changes needed in the current IIS.
-
IS/IT Projects
- Provides the environment/opportunity to translate investments into IIS assets.
- Information Infrastructure (aspired IIS)
What is the short definition of Architectures?
Architectures are blueprints of an existing or targeted IIS.
What is the short definition of Investments?
Investments are financial engagements made to develop or acquire assets which are expected to yield returns exceeding them in the future.
What is the short definition of Projects?
Projects are undertakings to achieve predefined goals within specified confines of budget size and time frame. Projects are often looked at in isolation and independent of other projects.
What is the short definition of Programmes?
Programmes help to coordinate interdependent projects towards a super-ordinate (strategic) goal.
What is the short definition of Portfolios?
Portfolios are a means to prioritise projects and select them for implementation.
What is the relation between Strategy (Implementation) and Tactical IM?
- Strategies provide goals, resource commitments and conditions, general courses of action.
- Strategies need to be translated into concreate measures for subsecuent implementation.
- Also, strategies involve change, IS Strategy implementation involves modifications of an existing IIS and its extensions (the IF).
- Strategic IT/IS investments are those investments that bring strategic changes (from the IS Strategy).
- Tactical Information Management coordinates strategic investments with operational ontes.
Briefly mention the rule of thumb for Strategic and Non-Strategic IT/IS Investments (budget)?
From the spending in IT:
- Use 50% of the budget for investments: renewal or extensions to the existing IIS. Further develop it.
- Use 50% of the budget on running costs: IIS operations plus maintenance.
Although in practice, the running costs are higher.
Mention the type of industries with the highest IT spending:
Industries with the highest percentage of the company’s annual sales or public sector total budget spent on IT:
- Technology/Telecomns
- Broadcast/Media
- Financial Services
- Government
- Energy
What is Architecture? mention some of its (general) definitions.
- Architecture coming from the Greek, means first craft or foundation artistry.
- The art or science of building, the practice of designing and building structures.
- A construction resulting from a conscious act.
- A unifying or coherent form or structure.
- The manner in which components (of a computer, system) are organized and integrated.
What are the (3) interpretations of Architecture in Information Systems?
Architecture in the IS discipline is looked upon as:
- The science or art of building Information Infrastructures (Zachman Framework, ARIS, TOGAF Arcq. Development Method).
- Style of building or a coherent pattern underlying a single application or the IIS (client-server-architecture, service oriented architecture).
- The outcome of architectural work, an architectural blueprint.
Why Architecture Blueprints? What is an Architecture blueprint good for?
- Mediates between strategic directions and tangible components
- Reduces complexity by focusing on major aspects
- Creates transparency by abstracting from details
- Provides construction guidelines by defining standards, patterns and rules to abide
- Brings together different perspectives (business activities, information, applications, technology).
Therefore:
- Architectures provide common planning ground for business and information managers.
- Architectures allow business managers to more easily contrast strategic business requirements and development with possible contributions and limitations of the IIS.
What are the (4) key architectures that conform an Enterprise Architecture? Describe them and also mention a sub-clasification of them.
An Enterprise Architecture is layered as:
- Strategy Architecture (the organizational strategy)
-
Organizational Architecture
- Information Resources Architecture
-
Applications Architecture… which contains:
- Applications architecture (describes applications in support of business processes and functions)
- Data architecture (data areas and their static relationships)
- Communications architecture (data and information flows between humans or applications)
- Technical Infrastructure Architecture (describes the organisation’s ICT base)
* the last 3 sub-architectures conform the Information Architecture (Information resources architecture + Applications architecture + Technical infrastructure application)
What is an Enterprise Architecture? What does it provide?
- An Enterprise Architecture gives an overview of an organization’s business and IT structures and relates them to each other. Architectures provides a common ground for business and IT executives for developing both business and IT strategically.
- The term enterprise architecture refers to a structured and harmonised collection of plans for the development of an Enterprise’s IT landscape. It is a collection of plans that represent business aspects (goals, conditions, business processes), business aspects of IT support (application systems, data records, individual programs) and technical aspects of IT support (platforms, networks, software).
- EAM are business strategy and business plans as a formal and defined models.
What is an Information Architecture? What does it depict?
- An Information Architecture is a coarse Information Model marked to the most essential components of an Information Infrastructure in business.
- An Information Architecture depicts the essential elements of information processing in relation to each other, similar to architectures being used in buildings for coherent structures.
- It is a set of high-level models which complements the business plan in IT-related matters and serves as a tool for IS planning and a blueprint for IS plan implementation.
What is the connection between (IS) Strategy and Information Architecture?
It is a process that goes from Strategy to Architecture to Infrastructure
- In the context of IS Strategy implementation, Information Architecture serves as an aggregate representation and blueprint for the IIS to be developed
- The architecture provides a description of a construction’s distinguishing elements and their interdependencies (like application systems)
- Translates an intention (the IS Strategy) into a final solution (the IIS)
- An Information Architecture serves as a blueprint for the construction of an IIS
* Important: Business strategy and IS Strategy are aligned to later have a Information Architecture, this in turns serves will be used to construct the IIS.
What do Application Architecture contains? (practical examples)
- The depict Application Systems used across business functions.
- Example 1: Business tasks supported across Business Functions
- Example 2: Business Units across Business processes
- Example 3: a SOA (Service-Oriented-Architecture) that relates Information flows, Service flows, External and Internal interactions with HW and SW.
Briefly mention and describe the (3) Information Architecture Methodolgies covered in the lecture:
-
Zachman Framework (for Enterprise Architecture)
- Provides a formal and structured way of viewing and defining an enterprise in an abstract way (using categories).
- Conceptual data processing models, technical models, implementation.
- Abstract modeling of the business across an X axis (What? data, How? function, Where? network, Who? people, When? time and Why? motivation) and a Y axis (Contextual: scope, Conceptual: business model, Logical: system model, Physical: tech model, Detailed: representations).
-
Information Enginering
- Involves an architectural approach to planning, analyzing, designing and implementing applications.
- Steps: model the business (strategy), model business areas, model information and design systems, implement them.
-
TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework)
- A framework for Enterprise Architecture that provides an approach for designing, planning, implementing and governing Enterprise IT Architecture.
- Typically modeled modeled at four levels: Business, Application, Data and Technology.
- Relies on modularization, standardization and already existing and proven technologies and products.
- Takes into account preliminary requirements together with an architecture vision and then uses Requirements Management (related to Business architecture, Information systems architectures, Technology architecture, Opportunities and solutions, Migration planning, Implementation governance and Architecture change management.
What are some contraints from some Architecture methodologies?
Architecture methodologies:
- Often neglect IS Stategy (using business strategy and organisational demands as replacements).
- Tend to be “reactionary”, Information Architecture is deduced from other established business and organisation models and such models are not challenged by IT.
- Focus on software applications, while technology infrastructure and information resources are neglected.
- Implementations are perceived as mere engineering challenges (technical develoment of solutions) rather than management challenges (portfolio, program, project management).
Graphically explain the differences between Architecture methodology vs IS Strategy implementation. What are the main differences?
-
IS Strategy takes into account the Business strategy to translate it into an Information Architecture (as-is).
- After this, it elabores on an Aspired IIS through the deployment of systems and IT/IS projects and investments.
- This aspired/future IIS will neet to be maintained through IS investments.
- Information Systems Architectures goes directly from the Business strategy into the Information architecture (and applies directly Client-Service Architectures or SOA as patterns).
What is an Investment? and What is an IS/IT Investment?
- Investments are placements of funds which are expected to provide higher income (returns, interest, dividend) in the future.
- An investment is the purchase of assets that are not consumed today but are used to create future wealth.
- The IS/IT investments are investments into the IIS which are expected to generate value by improving the information and communication capabilities of an organization.
* Investments can be either strategic or operational, several of them come from operational needs.
What is Programme management?
Describe its characteristics and demarcate them from Project Management and Portfolio Management:
-
Programme management is an occupation dealing with planning and supervising a programme to assure the realization of business benefits. It takes account of:
- Superordinate goals and the mission of the programme
- Functional, technical and resource dependiences across projects
- Overall time schedule, costs, benefits and risks
Comparisson with PM and Portfolio management:
- Project Management: focus on a project as single investment, finite duration of months/years, a manager represents the project, narrow objectives (time, cost, quality).
- Programme Management: focus on goal-interdependent projects and related organizational change measures, duration of several years, programme manager supervises project managers and reports to the top management, broad objectives (overall benefits delivered).
- Portfolio Management: select and prioritise investments, enduring duration, an investment controller is responsible and responds to top management supported by administrative staff, aggregated performance of investments.
Elaborate on the Programme Set-Up phase:
Develop the Programme Plan:
- Define a blueprint for the future IIS (target architecture) and appoint the most important programme positions (projects)
- Define checkpoints and final results
- Plan resources required and estimated costs
- Define a programme schedule
- Be prepare for programme risks:
- Complie a list of qualified risks
- Develop contingency plans
- Define risk handling mechanisms and responsibilities (risk owners, actions taken, escalation procedures)
- If needed, business continuity plans can be developed
- Set-up programme organization (roles, personnel, incentives to drive performance, dedicated skills and experiences or training/coaching)
- Choose external partners and co-operations mechanisms (procedures of selection of partners and mechanisms to govern co-operations, reporting procedures, design of contracts and clear expectations, shared incentives to get objectives).
Elaborate on the Programme Execution phase:
Key issues from the execution phase:
- Keep motivation alive: communicate a shared mission, create a learning culture of knowledge and managerial skills, have some quick wins for sense of achievement and tangible benefits, recognition and appreciation.
- Keep the Programme on speed and on track: enforce achievements over time, define good performance, assess performance regularly and relate achievements to career paths, monitor delivery from internal and external sources, have quality gates.
- Manage problems: adapt to changing demands and conditions, technical problems and changes, document impacts on programme duration and cost approved, responds to problems and conflicts using priorities/resource re-allocation/deadlines changes. Raise/scalate critical issues!
- Monitor benefits delivery: delivery of benefits in either checkpoints or final states must be monitored, promulgated and reported on a regular basis. A time-lag for benefits to show up its possible and its essential to highlight achievements and communicate them regularly to stakeholders and staff.
What are some key points from IS Programme Management in Practice?
- Programmes have an ideal life cycle
- … and also a real life cycle
- Programme realisation might look different from what was initialy planned.
- Programme management guidelines are frequently adapted in subtle and creative ways, ignored completely or contradicted.
- Programme management is far from uniform and “mature.
- Some standards for programme management:
- OGC (Office of Government Commerce’s) methodology
- PMI (Project Management Institute)
What is an IS/IT Portfolio?
Elaborate on its key characteristics and what does its use provides.
- From Latin “portare” (to carry) and “folium” (sheet of paper). A survey-like collection of similar things.
- Is a management technique that enables executives to allocate organizational resources for maximum business value.
- McFarlan (in 1981) is the first to apply porfolio thinking in IS to the evaluation and selection of IS/IT investments.
- Portfolio thinking is commonly applied to planning and controlling an organization’s investments (IT and non-IT)
- Two standards: OGC and PMI
- Provides an outline of all investments for the realization of an aspired IIS using cost, benefit and risk as assessment criteria.
What are the differences between Programme management, Portfolio management and Project management?
- Programme management:
- Objective: implementing big strategic decisions, start complex initiatives.
- Scope: change programme with several goal-interdependent and related projects/measures.
- Judgement base: realize business benefits associated with (strategic) initiative.
-
Portfolio management:
- Objective: making the most of the IT/IS investment budget, projects and programmes (investments) involved.
- Scope: complete overview over IT/IS investments (projects and programmes).
- Judgement base: business value delivered from IT/IS total investmentes.
- Project management:
- Objective: realization of targeted project outcome under quality, time and resource constraints.
- Scope: one project.
- Judgement base: fulfilment of the project order.
In the Making IS Portfolio decisions phase,
elaborate on the Balance portfolio sub-phase (Strategic grid technique):
Balancing the portfolio can be done using an Strategic grid…
Future business potential vs Criticality for executing todays business:
- Strategic: strategic terms, gain advantage, best way to do it.
- High potential: not clear, not certain or not yet known.
- Key operational: improve performance, avoid disadvantages.
- Support: reduce costs, efficiency, necessary tasks.
In the Making IS Portfolio decisions phase,
elaborate on the Balance portfolio sub-phase (Resource allocation matrix):
The resource allocation matrix focuses on:
- Short term (agile action, firefighting) vs Long term perspectives (Business transformations, Platform construction)
- Pursuing opportunities vs Meeting obligations
In the Making IS Portfolio decisions phase,
elaborate on the Approve the portfolio sub-phase (Value-viability analysis + Decision options):
Approve the IT/IS Portfolio through:
- Value
- Strategic viability
Decision options
- Include
- Approve with obligations
- Defer
- Defer with revisions
- Disapprove
Mention some industry standards for IS Portfolio Management:
From industry standards:
-
OGC (Office of Governance Commerce)
- Portfolio definition + Portfolio delivery
-
PMI (Project Management Institute)
- Defining process group + Aligning process group + Authorizing and controlling process group.
From consulting practice:
-
PWC Portfolio Management Framework
- Demands from management -> Align -> Evaluate -> Sustain
-
Accenture Portfolio & Programme Management Framework
- Investment planning -> Business change management -> Benefits realized -> Strategy refresh
